Paperclips
by A Cumberbatch Of Cookies
Summary: When Hal nearly breaks Leo shows him a new managment technique.


Her neck was bared, a low-cut shirt making sure the jugular was bare to his eyes, the blood beating around her body quickly. He could smell it; he could hear the pounding blood almost as though a microphone had been placed by it on maximum sound. Each second was bringing him closer to the breaking point. Every breath he took enhanced the smell, making breaking point even more closer.

He could picture it in his head, all the scenarios that could occur. Leaping over the counter and biting into the jugular, stalking her into a corridor, or his preferred method from his blood-filled days. Flirt with her, seduce her and take her back to the house. Take as much advantage of her as he could before drinking her dry. It wouldn't even be hard; she looked desperate enough for him to simply use her. He breathed in once more, almost tasting her blood in his mouth. It was so entrancing, a scent that you couldn't only take a little of. If that was just the scent, then what would the actual blood be like? He wanted it, he needed it desperately.

The women turned to the wall, back facing him as she opened a compartment. The lack of neck showing quickly vanished and the urge which still stayed quickly began to lose the power it had exerted over him.

"I need to leave," he murmured his tone quiet and reserved, yet with a strange air of tightness around it. His companion simply nodded before handing the money over to the women and taking the packet of cigarettes off her. The moment he left the shop he grabbed the cigarettes off his companion, pulled out his rather old-fashioned lighter, even for that era, and fell to the ground. Cupping his shaking hand around the lighter he finally managed to get the small flame to connect with the cigarette, still shaking he allowed himself to focus on it instead of the overwhelming thirst burning in the back of his throat.

"Can we go home now Leo?" he asked, his voice still shaky.

"We can Hal," he responded as he rubbed his older friends arm, "let's get you home."

It was with this that Leo took Hals hand and assisted him in standing up. One look at Hal showed how pale he was, how unsure of himself he appeared to be.

"You're doing fine Hal," Leo repeated as the duo kept walking, despite Hal's continues turning to look at the people walking past, people with bare necks, people with cuts bleeding tempting him. As Leo kept repeating similar phrases he allowed himself to focus on that, instead of letting his ears focus on the sound of blood pumping throughout people's bodies.

After the longer than normal walk home Leo had rather quickly closed the curtains of the barbershop putting the room into what was next to complete darkness whilst he fetched a large jar that he'd prepared for such occasions. It was something anybody who had ever met Hal had known, that he was rather OCD, that he couldn't stand disorder, mess, that every single thing had to be perfect. It was even said that when Hal was on the blood he never allowed mess from his kills, he would ensure any blood that left his victim's body would go inside him, that none would go on his face. In a fair few of occasions, particularly on rather large killing sprees, he'd completely ignore that personal rule of his and allow the blood to flow and splatter.

When Leo had returned Hal was sat on the shabby couch, allotted for waiting customers. Leo stood in the shadow for a minute, watching Hal organize the magazines, each one at an exact angle, the exact distance apart from one another in a perfectly straight line. Leo smiled sadly before walking over to Hal with the large jar.

"What's this Leo?" Hal asked steadily, the shaking gone as he was safely away from anyone he could drink from.

"Paperclips," he stated simply.

"I'm suffering from blood lust, not stupidity Leo, I do have impeccable eyesight," he responded coolly, almost shaking when the jars lid was loosen and the paperclips tipped over the floor. Now they were not in a jar it was obvious they were all coloured. In the jar there was only two of each colour, with thousands of colours in jar. Hal stared at them for a few moments before kneeling on the floor and beginning to pick out pairs. For over an hour Leo sat on a barber chair watching the OCD vampire which was his best friend finding pairs of paperclips, linking them up and placing them next to each other identically, in a series of straight lines.

"I was picturing how to kill her," Hal began staring at the completed pairs. "I was planning it, all the different things I could do to her. Jump across the counter and suck her dry, follow her home, wait till she goes on a break and slaughter her in an alley. Bring her here, use her for my enjoyment," he laughed sarcastically at the word 'enjoyment' "Then after using her drink her dry."

"But you didn't did you," Leo responded gesturing the vampire to sit with him, "you were able to resist it; you got away and occupied your mind. It took away the blood lust didn't it? The paperclips took it and shoved it back; you were too focused on your goal. It will get easier Hal."

"It hasn't before; it usually gets worse building up until I slaughter an entire phonebook of people. Well that's what happened last time," he laughed darkly.

"But you didn't have anyone with you did you? This time you have me."

"Yes I have you this time Leo," Hal murmured, "I'm tired."

"Go rest Hal; you'll need your energy for tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

"More distraction techniques Hal, I'll help you, we're a family now, you, me and Pearl."


End file.
